Air-brake



No. 6l8,204. Patented lan. 24, i899. E. A. HAUERWAS.

Al B B HAK E.

(Application led June 9, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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NrTn STATES PATENT rricn.

EDGAR A. IIAUERIVAS, OF'SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEIVTORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO CHARLES D. HAMMOND, OF ALTAMONT, NEV YORK.

AIR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,204, dated January24, 1899.

Application filed June 9, 1897. Serial No. 639,969. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: communication between the train and the Beitknown that I, EDGAR A. HAUERWAS, brake-cylinder H, all of these partsbeing of residing at Saratoga Springs, in the county of theA usualconstruction and operated in the Saratoga and State of New York, haveinusual manner. 55 5 vented a new and useful Air-Brake, of which Whenthe valve F is in its released pothe following is a specification.sition, which occurs when the pressure on the My invention relates toair-brakes, and has train-line side of piston F is greater than the forits object to furnish for attachment to the pressure from the auxiliaryreservoir on the well-known automatic air-brakes improved opposite sideof said valve,there is open com- 6o 1o means for controlling the escapeof air from munication between the outside of the brakethebrake-cylinder. piston, as at I, and the escape-pipe .I and relVith thisobject in view myinvention containing-valve K through ports I and I2, assists in the improved construction, arrangeshown in Figs. l and 2. ment,and combination of parts hereinafter The retaining-valve K is aweighted, or it 65 15 fully described, and afterward specifically may bea spring-seated, valve which opens pointed out in the claims. when thepressure under it become great In order that persons skilled in the artto enough to raise it, which act of opening perwhich my invention mostnearly appertains mits the escape of air from this valve through maymake and use the same, I will now proany suitable port, as at K', Fig.3, and re- 7o ze ceed to describe its construction and operaduces thepressure in front of the brake-pistion in connection with theaccompanying ton in the brake-cylinder. This valve has drawings,forminga part of this specification, heretofore been supplied with nomeans for in whichoperating it except this pressure under it. It

Figure l is a sectional View of so much of is desirable under certaincircumstances that 75 z 5 the well-known Westinghouse air-brake as issome other means for opening it not dependnecessary to illustrate myinvention and its ent upon such pressure be provided-for inapplicationthereto. Fig. 2 is a detail secstance, when it is desired to permit theestional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 cape of all pressure inthe brake-cylinder or is a sectional view showing the retainingany partthereof less than sufficient to raise 8o 3o valve in open position withmy improved the valve, such circumstances arising espelifter attachedthereto. Fig. 4 is a sectional cially on a road in mountainous or hillydisview showing the same parts in closed positricts where there arenumerous grades. On tion. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through my suchroads it is extremely desirable that the improved escape-valve. Fig. 6is a detail engineer have entire control of the pressure 85 3 5perspective view of the locking device for the in the brake-cylinder,and to give him this rubber-seated valve. .control is the especialobject of my inven- Like letters of reference mark the same tion. Toaccomplish this, I provide electroparts wherever they occur in thedierent magnets L L, located above the retainingfigures of the drawings.valve, which is made of iron or other mag- 9o 4o Referring to thedrawings by letters, A is net-attracting metal, the electric line M fora pipe under the car, forming part of the energizing such magnets beingsupplied with main train-line, through which the pressure current fromsuitable batteries or dynamos is communicated from the main reservoir onlocated at any preferred position on the train the engine to theauxiliary reservoirs of the or engine. The line extends from the source95 4 5 cars. The communication from this line to of current and magnetsto the cab of the enthe auxiliary reservoir B is through the gine or toany desired station on the car or branch pipe C and the valves E and Fof the train within reach of the engineer of a steamarrangement ofvalves at D, E, and F, known railway train, the motorman of an electricas the triple-valve, and thence through train or car, or any otherperson to whom the roo 5o branch pipe G, the valve D, known as thecontrol of the brakes is assigned.

rubber-seated valve,7 being a medium of The circuit is an open one andat the c0ntrolling-station is provided with suitable circuit-closers,such controlling-station being herein represented as in the cab of anengine, in connection with the handle N of the engineers valve, by meansof which the pressure from the main reservoir O and in the train-line iscontrolled. On this handle N, far enough from the end thereof to leavefree space sufficient for the engineer to grasp the handle, especiallyas is sometimes hurriedly done in certain emergencies, withoutinterfering with the electric current, is placed a circuit-closer P,which is so arranged, in any well-known or preferred manner, as to closethe circuit when pressed toward thev handle and provided with means toautomatically break the circuit when released from said pressure. Withthis arrangement the engineer will have absolute control over thepressure in the brake-cylinder when such pressure is insufficient toopen the valve against the weight thereof or the closingspring when aspring-seated valve is used.

In ordinary use of this class of air-brakes small particles of dirt ordebris of various kinds sometimes lodge between the rubberseated valve Dand its seat, causing a small continuous leak until removed. Suchremoval cannot be made while the train is running, and a provision forneutralizing the effect of such leaks while the train is in motion isvery desirable. This I accomplish to a great extent by the provision ofan escape-valve Q, attached to the escape-pipe J. This valve(illustrated in detail in Fig. 5) consists of a casing' or cylinder R,having an inward-projecting annular flange Rand asmall escapeport R2 inthe end. Its piston S has a small notch S in one edge, forming a port,and is held in position against inside pressure by a light spring S2.When the air-pressure upon this piston due to leakage, as before setforth, is not sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring, theports S' and R2 Will relnain open and permit of its free escape; butwhen it is sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring thepiston will be forced to seat itself against the flange R', whichprojects a sufficient distance inward to cover and close the port S inthe piston, thereby also cutting oif communication between the inside ofthe cylinder R and the port R2, eifectually closing both ports. Foreffectually closing a very bad leak in the rubber-seated valve I provideother means, as shown at T in Figs. l and 6, which consists in a key,provided with a suitable handle,which key when turned one way has noeffect, but when turned at right angles to its idle position serves tolock the rubber-seated valve D and the check-valve D firmly in theirseats, positively closing them.

To lock the retaining-valve in an open position, I provide a key U,which when turned upward will hold the valve out of contact with itsseat.

W'hile I have illustrated and described the best means now known to mefor carrying out my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do notdesire to restrict myself to the exact details of construction shown,but hold that any such slight changes and variations of such details aswould suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would properly fallWithin the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In an automatic air-brake, the combination with the brake-cylinderand the retaining-valve, of an escape-valve adapted to be closed byoverpressure located between the said cylinder and valve, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In an automatic air-brake, the combination with the brake-cylinder,the retainingvalve and the retaining-valve pipe, of an escape-valve onsaid pipe adapted to be closed by overpressure, substantially as setforth.

3. In an automatic air-brake, the combination with the brake-cylinder,the retainingvalve, and the retaining-valve pipe, of an escape-valve onsaid pipe provided with a springcontrolled piston, adapted to be closedby overpressure, substantially as set forth.

4. In an automatic air-brake, an escapevalve, consisting of a cylinderhavin ga small port in its end and an annular, inward-projecting ange,in combination with a piston having a notch in its periphery, and aspring acting to hold the piston against a given pressure but to beovercome by excessive pressure, substantially as set forth.

EDGAR A. HAUERXVAS.

Witnesses:

S. BRAsHEAns, DAVID STUART WATERS.

IOO

